2008 - The Summer of HappyFeat

[Stilettoscot]

Well, I know I'll look back on it as inspiration for me. Very nice. For a lower heel, I love the pumps!

[JeffB]

Here are a couple of pictures of the shoes that I bought on my last outing. They have a 1/2" platform and a 4 1/2" heel. They are suede with patent trim. Recently, I have begun to move away from the pointier toes to more of a rounded look and these were just waiting for me! They are high and, in my opinion, will be great for heeling!

If there are any outfit suggestions, please pass them along. I want to wear these out soon.

Damn good looking shoes! I'm impressed. As for what to wear with those pumps, black dress pants are a must in my mind, as for a top, perhaps something in a purple or plum. Just as suggestion.

[radiodave]

Nice look! Glad your outings are going well for you.

[HappyFeat]

^ I love reading your stories and am culpably envious of your pumps!

I sincerely hope that five years and 1,000 posts more from now, you look back on this particular thread as the start of something special...

Damn good looking shoes! I'm impressed. As for what to wear with those pumps, black dress pants are a must in my mind, as for a top, perhaps something in a purple or plum. Just as suggestion.

Kneehighs and JeffB,

Your praise and support mean a great deal to me! I have read your posts and and been inspired by your styles for a long time. In fact, it is Kneehighs that has turned me into a Nine West addict (so don't be too terribly envious of my shoes .) JeffB, I have been scouring the rackes for a plum shirt! Thanks for the encouraging words and I will be posting my latest outing soon!

[HappyFeat]

Last Thursday I got a great opportunity for another extended outing! It was so wonderful to get "out an about again!" The Place - Pittsburgh The outfit - A Polo oxford dress shirt in multiple pastel colors, khaki Aflini trousers with a very faint herringbone pattern and brown HUE tight/knee highs. The shoes - Alfini brown platform pumps (picture posted in a previously) with 4 1/2 heels and platform. My first stop was simply to buy gasoline. I pumped and whet inside to pay. arrived at the line abut the same time a cute young woman arrived in line and since she was weighed down with coffee and snacks, I let her go ahead of me in line. After she checked out, I paid and headed to my car only to look back and see her starring at me from across he parking lot. She was offering a warm smile, but even after I made eye contact with her (which I have found is normally enough to break a stare) she just kept staring and smiling, so I winked and go in my car, surprised at the interaction that I got simply from filling up the tank. Next I made an obligatory stop at Macy's. It was the very same one that I purchesed the shoes that I was wearing. I browsed the clearance rack, and found nothing new of interest, however, there was a slightly overwight, frumpy woman looking at the same rack as me. I would guess she was in her mid thirties and later I discovered her appearance might have something to do with hauling four kids around that day. She picked out a thick heel platform open toe sling back and I told her that they are beauiful and she should try them on. She slid the shoe on her foot and I said they were a must have because they made her ankles looked so great. She thanked me and later I saw her walking around the shoe department with both of them on, so I think she liked them as well. I browsed Macy's for about half an hour and headed out. I did buy a pair of Izod khaki and white seersucker trousers however. My next stop was the bath and Body Works to it their sale on scented antibacterial hand soap. Since the sale was so good, I bought seven bottles (7 for $20, that's my kind of sale), I wet to the counter to set them down to continue shopping. The clerk, maybe 25 years old, was polite, but from her giddy reaction, I could tell she had seen my shoes. Her reaction seemed to be more amazement than rude, however I there was a bit of "outside the norm" that seems to shock young people so much. She was polite, made good eye contact, and seemed more positive than negative. I browsed Barnes and Nobel for over an hour without anything of interest. For anybody who is getting started going out in heels, book stores are a really great place to go. People are pretty intensely looking for items, reading, working on computers and are typically sufficiently liberal that they are not quick to judge or draw attention. My hypothesis is that readers just have better manners. After looking at books, I decided to hit a couple of discount stores. Since I go out in other places, I typically feel pretty comfortable, but to my shock I saw a couple of people I worked with come in the store! Well, roumers being what they are and knowing that these particular people were gossips and fairly judgmental, I made tracks to the other side of the store and when I saw them head to the back, I headed out! I didn't freak out or panic, I just left as soon as the coast was clear. Since i wanted to avoid any further contact, I decided to go elsewhere. I drove to another part of town and decided that I would like to get a cold drink and surf the Internet a bit. I stopped at a Panera Bread store, went in computer in tow, and checked the menu. The store was a bit crowded and as I waited in line, I saw that them menu really had nothing I wanted, so I decided to try elsewhere. When I got back to my car, several people driving by slowed down to check out my shoes! That was pretty wild, like a parade in reverse. I smiled and nodded at each one of them. I headed out and remembered that a friend of mine was looking for a pair of black sandals, with a moderate heel that she could wear with a suit or a skirt. She said she could find many styles that were more like evening shoes or way too casual, but not the perfect medium. I passed a TJ Maxx and decided to see what they had. I found her a pair of Nine West sandals in matte black with bout a 3 inch heel! Bingo! Strange I thought, this is the first time I have ever bought heels for somebody else while wearing heels myself! As I was checking out, I noticed the woman at the jewelry counter staring at me, much in the same way the woman at the gas station had done. I simply looked back, winked, her smile got a bit bigger and she turned away. As I was leaving the store, it started to rain and I decided the day had some symmetry and I went home.

[fastfreddy2]

Great combo of trousers and heels. But Dude, you need to do something about the top.

I'm truly sorry if my remark offends, but over here, wearing that shirt would get you on the 6 O'Clock news.

[HappyFeat]

Great combo of trousers and heels. But Dude, you need to do something about the top.

I'm truly sorry if my remark offends, but over here, wearing that shirt would get you on the 6 O'Clock news.

No offense here...just a nice chuckle for the way it was delivered. Thanks!

[fastfreddy2]

No offense here...just a nice chuckle for the way it was delivered. Thanks!

Goodo! Just what I was hoping for.

[JeffB]

HappyFeat: Regarding your latest outing, well done! Your outfit certainly worked in my mind, and matching your shoes with brown hosiery was inspired. Great work in coordination. And I thought the shirt was okay. Heh! Sounds like you had a good time on your outing as you handled yourself very well everywhere you went. That's the key to being out in heels, acting like you belong and looking relaxed and comfortable. Bravo to you, my friend!

[RonC]

Happyfeat, I have enjoyed your postings, and I am envious. I just don;t have the nerve any more (a bit of a heart problem, and the nervousness would likely be a strain). So I will live vicariously through your posts! What I enjoy the most is that the shoes you select are more feminine that many of the guys here wear. For me, it is the thrill of wearing a more feminine heel, rather than just the heel height alone. I applaud you!

[HappyFeat]

Happyfeat, I have enjoyed your postings, and I am envious. I just don;t have the nerve any more (a bit of a heart problem, and the nervousness would likely be a strain). So I will live vicariously through your posts! What I enjoy the most is that the shoes you select are more feminine that many of the guys here wear. For me, it is the thrill of wearing a more feminine heel, rather than just the heel height alone. I applaud you!

Thanks RonC. I guess I have always migrated to the more feminine heel myself. My basic philosophy is that if you are going to wear heels, you might as well wear what you like. I do have less feminine heels, but they seem to attract as much attention as the more "girly" variety.

Recently, however I have been migrating to more of a rounded toe, blockier heel, less flashy colors. They are still shoes made for women, but my "fashion philosophy" continues to evolve. Since I mainly wear heels with men's clothes, I try to find shoes that would go well with them. For example, when wearing a classic navy blue suit, I would pick a pair of pumps like the Nine West I have pictured in a previous post. Sure they are girly, having a stiletto heel and a slightly pointed almond toe, but they almost look like they belong. Women wear classic navy blue suits as well, and may choose a similar shoe. Though if I am going out for a casual evening in jeans, I wouldn't hesitate to put on my red Nine West sandals either.

Also, much of my wardrobe is a little more stylish than the average man's wardrobe. I haven't yet put together a really cool outfit this summer, but I am sure I will. For example, I just bought a pair of light beige/cream flat front trouser that I am dying to wear. I have a few shoes in mind, but in the end, I will do my best to match them with the shoes.

I guess after becoming more comfortable with wearing heels in public, my focus is shifting more to style.

I would love to hear some other thoughts on this.

[Bootking]

In fact, it is Kneehighs that has turned me into a Nine West addict!

HappyFeat, that certainly sounded a chord! I now have three pairs of Nine West leather boots, one pair of stretch boots and a pair of sandals! They are addicting!!!!!!!!!!!

[HappyFeat]

I made it out today! Initially, I had planned for an extened outing, howerver the day wound up being cut short because of a family emergency. It didn't turn out to be much of anything, but it did cut my day short. In any case, I did get in two solid hours of heeling (I was hoping for four to five), which was pretty incredible. The Place - South Hills Village Mall, Pittsburgh The outfit - Yellow and brown Banana Republic oxford shirt: tan Alfini dress slacks that drape beautifully The shoes - Carmel Enzo Angiolini "Shanee" loafer style pumps 3 1/4" heel The purpose of my excursion today was to return to the South Hill's Macy's to buy a pair of shoes that I saw a few weeks ago and wanted to see if they were still marked down. I had planed on an extended browsing experience, but as I headed for the clearance rack, a clerk spotted me and said "You look like a man on a mission!" I said that I wanted to look to see what was on sale, and she followed me. To my surprise the shoes that I wanted were still there and in my size. I grabbed the shoe off the rack and she told me that it was a "gorgeous shoe" and that they had them in black and brown when they first came in. She asked me if 11 was the size that I wanted and I said yes. She puled out a little computer, asked me my name and said they had them and left to get it. This was my first time shopping at Macy's with this inventory system and I am looking forward to returning. Now I can ask what they have in an 11 and they will show me! No more disappointment of not having the size. While she was retrieving the shoes, I browsed a bit, but the shoe department was very busy. I wanted to look a little more, but the chaos was a bit too much. She brought the shoes and I paid. On my way out of the shoe department, the woman who waited on me said to two young women (maybe 25 y.o.) that they found mine but were still looking for theirs. I paused next to the young women and said that the shoe she was waiting on was "hot." They were too - platform sling backs, in off white, with gold trim and about a 5 1/2 inch stiletto heel. She said she wanted them in white patent, but they couldn't find them in her size (9 1/2"). Her friend said she had big feet and besides they looked like "hooker shoes." The girl buying the shoes said that she was gong to South Beach (Miami) and had a great white dress that the white shoes would be perfect for. I told her that the ones they had would work with a white dress, but she said if she was spending $110, she wanted them to be "perfect." I agreed with that. I wished them luck and headed on my way. Its interactions like that that I really want to improve. Typically when I am out I tend to be as the clerk put it a "man on a mission." Part of heeling that I like is the heightened sense of awareness to my surroundings and wish I could keep from rushing myself the way I do. Being rushed is not unique to heeling however; its just basic to my personality. After the shoe department I browsed Macy's for about half an hour and headed down the mall. I decided to try something new today however. Usually, I only browse certain stores and today I decided to expand my horizons. I went into the camera store and bought a lens cleaning cloth, tried on jeans at Ambercrombie and Fitch, hit the computer store, and looked at cell phones. Feeling pretty confident, I decided to do something that I always wanted to do - I went in the Bandolino store. It is a very small store, but they have a fairly large selection. There was only one young woman (maybe 21 y.o.) working when I went in, but there were no other customers. I browsed a bit, all the while more people kept coming in. The clerk asked me if she could help me and I asked if they carried much in a size 11. She grimaced and said they had a few, but not in every style. I browsed and found two pair that I really liked; one was a conservative black Mary Jane pump with a square toe and about a 3 inch heel and the other was a patent loafer with a gold buckle and a 2 inch or so block heel. She went in the back and came out with the Mary Jane's and the loafer in my choice of brown or black. I was a bit disappointed that they didn't have them in the navy blue, but I was happy they had something in an 11. She handed me the boxes to look at the shoes and I asked for a footie to try them on. Much to my amazement, she simply said "sure!" and handed me two. I guess that it wasn't her customer service that shocked me, after all I was a customer and I am sure she had a quota to make, but it was that she simply didn't bat an eyelash! She even asked me if I wanted to try both the brown and the black. I said no, just the brown because I "just have too many black shoes." She said she understood and went to the back to put them away. I sat down on a stool, removed my shoes slipped of the nylon footie and proceeded to try them on. The store was getting pretty busy at this point, and I just stuck to my business. First I tried on the MJs and waled around the store in them. I could notice the other customers looking out the corner of their eyes, but they too just went about their shopping. Then I tried the brown loafers and repeated my walkabout. After feeling satisfied, I took both pair to the register. The clerk told me that if I bought both pair, I would get 30% off, so I told her to ring them up. By this time, the other young clerk had returned, I made small talk with them, paid and headed out. It was at this point my afternoon was cut short and since I had an hours drive home, I headed to the car and called it a day. I will shop that and similar stores more often now! It was a good thing that I had to go in retrospect. I a little over two hours I had bought three pair of shoes and was $100 lighter in the wallet. I think that my next heeling excursions will expand beyond places where I spend too much money! Today's pictures:

[fastfreddy2]

The outfit - Yellow and brown Banana Republic oxford shirt: tan Alfini dress slacks that drape beautifully

You got that right.

The whole outfit looks perfect.

Great day, and a good read.

[HappyFeat]

The whole outfit looks perfect.

Thanks Fastfreddy2!

After my last shirt, I am glad to see that I am improving.

Thanks for the support as well!

[fastfreddy2]

Thanks for the support as well!

Hmmm.

Bit of a double edged sword that comment. I'm sitting here tapping away at midnight (UK time) wondering what I'm going to do soon, by way of trying to 'keep up'.

Not had an adventure of my own for a little while. Had a meet with a fellow member off here last Saturday, but I don't count that <for some reason>, despite spending 5 hours walking around a shopping mall in heels.

Your day out makes me feel like I need to challenge myself too. You are a wayward influence!

....

[HappyFeat]

Your day out makes me feel like I need to challenge myself too. You are a wayward influence!

....

That's what this summer is all about for me...pushing the boundaries and really discovering myself. The more new things I try, the more natural I feel.

As far as being a "wayward influence," glad to be of service!

[Stilettoscot]

Thank you, Happyfeat!

[radiodave]

Sounds like another great outing HF! Nice outfit, and sounds like you had a good experience. Keep having fun!

[JeffB]

HappyFeat: Wow! I'm impressed! Your outfit worked to perfection from head to toe, and those tan shoes you sported were very stylish. As for your outing, I was doubly impressed as it sounds like you had a great time on your shopping expedition, going from store to store with plenty of gumption and confidence to shop for whatever you want, wherever you want. Not many of us can do that, but you handled that very well. Big props to you, my friend. Keep on having fun.

[gwl1]

Great outing, HappyFeat. Thanks for sharing. I'll make one suggestion, though. Your bare legs in the first photo give an unfinished look to the rest of your well-put-together outfit. I would suggest striped or ribbed thin trouser socks to complete the look and carry the theme of stripes from your shirt. A tan or dark brown semi-sheer trouser sock with ribbing would be just the ticket and would improve the classy look you're trying to achieve. Bare skin is not classy, it's casual (at best) and repulsive (at worst, if the owner has blemishes, vericose veins, and other imperfections). Always consider hosiery to complete the outfit, compliment the rest of the apparel you have on, and give the message that you care enought to pay attention to details. In addition, hosiery will protect your feet from blisters, and will prevent or diminish foot odor. You will enjoy wearing those great looking heels much better without both. GWL

[HappyFeat]

I'll make one suggestion, though. Your bare legs in the first photo give an unfinished look to the rest of your well-put-together outfit. I would suggest striped or ribbed thin trouser socks to complete the look and carry the theme of stripes from your shirt. A tan or dark brown semi-sheer trouser sock with ribbing would be just the ticket and would improve the classy look you're trying to achieve...

Thank you for that suggestion. In retrospect, I was thinking the same thing. Ironically, I do have a few pair of nice trouser socks that would have made the outfit very nice. Also, trouser socks or even nylon stockings of some sort make trying on shoes much easier.

Thanks for the suggestion!

[RonC]

Sounds like another nice outing, Happyfeat. After reading your reply to my comments about the more feminine styles, I do agree that certain clothing does call for a shoe that is less feminine. Actually, feminine is not the right word, more like delicate. A lovely paid of black patent pumps with pointed toes and 4" heels looks great with a dressy outfit, but under the assumption of more typical male clothing, I certainly agree that the more rounded toes and even somewhat thicker heels look just fine. I myself enjoy a pair of loafer style shoes with a thick, but at least tapered some, heel of 2.5 to 3 inches or so. And a rounded toe pump can look just as nice as a pointed toe. I also like the newer "almond" shape which is not blunt, but also not pointed. While not wearing heels while out, I did do some shopping the other day, and was usrprised at how many shoes I did try on. Went to a DSW (warehouse shoes store) and found a pair of Bandolino low cut loafer style shoes with about a 2.75 inch heel. I just grabbed them and walked to a bench, sat down and tried them on. Granted the store wasn't crowded, but that is still a large step for me. I walked up and down the aisle I was in, and alas the shoes were too tight. I move on to anoterh warehouse type store in my area known as Syms. There they have racks of shoes sorted by size, and I tried on at least five pairs there. Almost bought a pair of Nine West t-strap, open toe pumps with about a 4.5 inch heel. Couldn't believe how well a size 11 fit in those, as the other 11's weren;t too good (I mostly need a 12). I just couldn;t justufy the 40+ dollars at the moment. I also tried on a pair of pumps at a Sears store, but they were way too small. Anyway, not quite your level of experience, but it was unusual for me.

[HappyFeat]

Sounds like another nice outing, Happyfeat. After reading your reply to my comments about the more feminine styles, I do agree that certain clothing does call for a shoe that is less feminine. Actually, feminine is not the right word, more like delicate. A lovely paid of black patent pumps with pointed toes and 4" heels looks great with a dressy outfit, but under the assumption of more typical male clothing, I certainly agree that the more rounded toes and even somewhat thicker heels look just fine. I myself enjoy a pair of loafer style shoes with a thick, but at least tapered some, heel of 2.5 to 3 inches or so. And a rounded toe pump can look just as nice as a pointed toe. I also like the newer "almond" shape which is not blunt, but also not pointed.

While not wearing heels while out, I did do some shopping the other day, and was usrprised at how many shoes I did try on. Went to a DSW (warehouse shoes store) and found a pair of Bandolino low cut loafer style shoes with about a 2.75 inch heel. I just grabbed them and walked to a bench, sat down and tried them on. Granted the store wasn't crowded, but that is still a large step for me. I walked up and down the aisle I was in, and alas the shoes were too tight.

I move on to anoterh warehouse type store in my area known as Syms. There they have racks of shoes sorted by size, and I tried on at least five pairs there. Almost bought a pair of Nine West t-strap, open toe pumps with about a 4.5 inch heel. Couldn't believe how well a size 11 fit in those, as the other 11's weren;t too good (I mostly need a 12). I just couldn;t justufy the 40+ dollars at the moment. I also tried on a pair of pumps at a Sears store, but they were way too small.

Anyway, not quite your level of experience, but it was unusual for me.

Thanks for the nice comments. Your outing is pretty exciting as well. Any time you go a little bit further than you usually do makes for an exciting day!

I agree that "delicate" is a great way to put it. Though black patent, pointed toe, 4 1/2 inch heels always grab my attention (and I will continue to wear them) I am finding some nice styles in the less delicate form. These heels allow for a lot more flexibility in outfits. Also, since I am not a delicate guy, they just work better for me.

[JeffB]

Thank you for that suggestion. In retrospect, I was thinking the same thing. Ironically, I do have a few pair of nice trouser socks that would have made the outfit very nice. Also, trouser socks or even nylon stockings of some sort make trying on shoes much easier.

Thanks for the suggestion!

I would also suggest wearing hosiery, either knee highs which is more comfortable during the heat of summer or pantyhose for the rest of the year. The right shade of hosiery evens out your skin tone and gives your legs color, depending on the shade you sport and what color shoe you wear.

As with all things, proper coordination is a must. Take those charming tan pumps you sported in your last picture, tan or beige hosiery would match perfectly with those shoes, for black shoes, go with off-black, suntan or taupe, and if you ever take the big challenge of wearing white shoes, then you have to go with off-white.

Don't be afraid to experiemnt with different combinations to see what will work best for you. Good luck on your future outings!

[Dawn HH]

Happyfeat:-) Gwl1 has a great idea to go with your tan shoes with using the ribbed trowser socks. I can picture the look in my mind's eye and I'm sure that that would complete that outfit to perfection for streetheeling. JeffB has also some great suggestions to go with the color combinations of outfits with kneehighs or pantyhose and I suggest the color combinations that he suggests completely. I may have been influential a couple of years ago to get Jeff to try pantyhose under his shoes or boots. I have worn pantyhose daily for years the year around, but you may think pantyhose too hot during the hot summer days. I prefer the suntan shade, (as the shade compliments my legs with a great color combination and looks), and find that pantyhose wicks sweat away from the legs and feet, makes the shoes and boots fit and feel better, and prevents rubbing and blisters from forming. Not only that, I really enjoy the feel and looks of pantyhose on my legs and feet. I never put my feet into my shoes and boots without pantyhose as I hate the sticky feeling after a while as there has been many a time that I have been in heels and hose for 18 hours at a time and been quite comfortable and happy doing it. I have thoroughly enjoyed your streetheeling stories but I suggest that by you giving yourself a bit slower time getting around from place to place that you may find that your enjoyment of streetheeling will increase tremendously and will become something not to be rushed but to be enjoyed to the fullest extent. When I get some time I would like to PM you if you would like me to do that as I don't think that we live that far apart from each other. Cheers--- Dawn HH

[johnieheel]

Truly a fun and exciting outing Happyfeet. A real motivator and you look GREAT!!!

[roniheels]

Dawn HH quote: "I have thoroughly enjoyed your streetheeling stories but I suggest that by you giving yourself a bit slower time getting around from place to place that you may find that your enjoyment of streetheeling will increase tremendously and will become something not to be rushed but to be enjoyed to the fullest extent." This is very good advice. I usually take a day from work, set up an agenda, and spend the day and sometimes into the night, streetheeling. I take my time and enjoy every minute. It sounds like you're having a great year in high heels, Keep up the heeling and sharing your experiences with us.

[HappyFeat]

Sorry that I have not posted to this thread for a couple of weeks, but I have not been able to enjoy any real heeling time. However, I am out and about at the moment. I am currently writing this post as I set in Starbucks wearing my 2 1/2 inch Bandolino loafers, dress slacks and a burgundy shirt. I must apologize that I do not have a picture today. Though there are about a dozen people in here, and I am in a clean line of sight to most of them, I only have received passing glances. Part of this is because my shoes are not flashy, though they are obviously made for women! Mostly people just seem to go about their business. and I go from crossing my legs to setting my feet flat on the floor. I will report more later...

[CassieJ]

Glad you are out having fun in your heels. I was wearing mine out all over the place for a while but went through a stint where I didn't feel comfortable doing it out (Lots of company and relatives in town and such), but am starting again. Have you discovered the secret of the Macy's shoe sales rack? Forget the sizes...just look for shoes you like in any size. Then, ask the sales associate for the ones you like in your size. They often have most sizes for all the styles on the sale rack. Cassie